Buthus balmensis, Ythier & Laborieux, 2022

Ythier, Eric & Laborieux, Léo, 2022, The genus Buthus Leach, 1815 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in France with description of a new species from the Sainte-Baume Massif, Faunitaxys (New York, N. Y.) 10 (47), pp. 1-13 : 11-12

Key to the Buthus species occurring in France

1. Male specimen....................................................................................... 2

– Female specimen..................................................................................... 4

2. Pedipalp chela manus slender (length/width ratio 1.68-1.87),narrower than patella (manus width /patella width 0.87-0.99); metasomasimilarinsizeandshapetothatoffemale...................................... B. occitanus (Amoreux)

– Pedipalp chela manus swollen (length/width ratio 1.42-1.52), wider than patella (manus width / patella width 1.04-1.07); metasomalongerandheavierthaninfemale............................................................... 3

3. Metasomal segment I longer than wide (length/width ratio 1.12); tergites moderately to strongly granular; metasoma intercarinalspacesminutelygranular..................................................... B. pyrenaeus Ythier

– Metasomal segment I as wide as long (length/width ratio 1.00); tergites I-VI moderately granular on lateral sides only, the centralareaalmostsmoothandtergite VII entirelysmooth;metasomaminutelygranularonsegmentVonly,other segmentssmooth...................................................................... B. balmensis sp. n.

4. Metasomal segment I wider than long to as wide as long (length/width ratio 0.97-1.00)........... B. pyrenaeus Ythier

– Metasomal segment I longer than wide (length/width ratio 1.02-1.08)..................................... 5

5. Tergites moderately to strongly granular; sternites minutely granular laterally and on anterior half centrally; metasoma intercarinalspacesminutelygranular;metasomasimilarinsizeandshapetothatofmale...... B. occitanus (Amoreux)

– Tergites I-VI moderately granular on lateral sides only,the centralarea almost smooth and tergite VII entirely smooth; sternitesentirelysmooth;metasomaminutelygranularonsegmentVonly,othersegmentssmooth;metasomasmaller andslendererthaninmale................................................................ B. balmensis sp. n.

(W, corresponding to posterior width in carapace), depth (D).

Abbreviations: length (L), width (W), depth (D). Ratios underlined are reported in the comparisons of main features in the text.